


Best Things Come in Three

by paradigm_twist



Category: Super Junior
Genre: Coming Out, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Kid Fic, Light Angst, M/M, mention of other SJ members
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2016-06-18
Packaged: 2018-07-15 20:21:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7237090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradigm_twist/pseuds/paradigm_twist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The three "I Love You"s that made a difference.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Things Come in Three

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amalious](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amalious/gifts).



> Repost of an old LJ fic. Was also a belated birthday present.

1.

Kibum was five and it was his first day at kindergarten.

Like all five year old, Kibum was reluctant to start his first day of school. At least he was proud to say that he didn't show it outwardly like the other kids who cried and stomped their feet because his mother once told him that she was proud to have such a good boy for a son.

Even if he did spent a week before sulking and being moody about it.

It wasn't as if Kibum didn't know that he had to go to school. His parents had talked about it for ages and they had included him in some of their discussions. The thought of it was just always sitting at the back of his mind, left alone because he never really looked forward to the idea of actually leaving his house _and_ his parents for such a prolonged period of time.

Now it was lunchtime and it was utter chaos.

Children running everywhere, screaming and chasing each other around. It was as if they inhaled some sort of energy boosting gas because Kibum was never _this_ energetic ever. In fact, it drove him mad to see people bursting into some loud form of energy. What was wrong with being still and quiet? All that running and screeching was starting to give him a headache.

Rubbing his temples, he made his way to a thankfully secluded spot at the edge of the playground, away from the screaming monsters, but with a good view of everyone so that he won't miss his cue to go back to class. Nap time had never looked more fun than it did now.

Once he made himself comfortable, he started reading his book that his father gave him as his first day of school gift. His father had been teaching him English for a while now and they had finally gotten around to getting Kibum books with actual stories in them instead of the picture books that were given by well-meaning relatives and friends. Just because Kibum liked keeping to himself didn't mean that he was stupid. He just had nothing interesting to say to them.

Kibum was just starting another chapter of Enid Blyton when a shadow fell over his page. Looking up, he saw a boy standing in front of him and another two flanking both his sides crowding into his space, attempting to look menacing. Kibum sighed. He knew this was coming. Somehow, people never really understood that just because he wanted to be left alone didn't really mean that he was a loner. Was it so wrong that he prefer being lethargic?

Just as he was about to say something to let them know he wasn't such an easy prey, a clear voice intercepted.

"Leave him alone or Ms Kim is going to find out about this."

The middle boy, who was clearly the leader, sneered at the newcomer.

"You're really going to tell on us Cho? Really?" He asked, clenching his fists.

The boy just stared back defiantly. With a raised voice, he yelled out. "MS KIM!!!"

His class teacher from earlier this morning looked up at the sound of her name from across the playground and narrowed her eyes when she caught sight of them. She dusted her palms and slowly made her way across to them.

"Didn't I just tell you boys just last week that it is not a nice thing to be mean to other people?" She asked disapprovingly.

The boys just shuffled their feet while mumbling before Ms Kim led them forcefully back to the school.

Kibum eyed the scene curiously before turning his attention to Cho who had plopped down right next to him.

"You didn't have to do that. I'm not weak."

"Didn't say you were," the boy replied back cheerily as he grabbed Kibum's book and started flipping spiritedly through it.

"You know you're supposed to ask before taking someone's things away," Kibum commented dryly. Normally, he would have felt annoyed but for some reason, all he felt was interest in this brunet boy who made himself entirely too comfortable with Kibum's things as he started fiddling with Kibum's shirt sleeves.

"This is boring," Cho replied, ignoring Kibum altogether. "Try this instead," as he took something out from his pocket and shoved it into Kibum's hand.

" _Tamagotchi_?! That's more interesting than my book???" Kibum stared at the egg-shaped device.

Cho shrugged. "It's a lot harder than it looks. Besides, my parents didn't let me bring my GameBoy to school," he said sheepishly.

Staring between the strange boy with the shy smile and the Tamagotchi in his hand, Kibum suddenly felt a deep rush of affection and surreal happiness at that moment and laughed.

Remembering what his parents always said when one did something nice for the other, Kibum said in a rare moment of gleeful abandon, "I love you."

And that was how he met Cho Kyuhyun.

 

2.

Kibum was fifteen when he realized he was gay.

It was a culmination of things. It was all little bits of flashes and thoughts piled up on top of one another over the years, before slowly untangling and piecing together like an over-elaborated jigsaw puzzle. And one day, he just woke up with the finished piece; a dawning realization that he was gay.

At first, he just shrugged the epiphany off because being gay had no impact to his person. He was still the same guy from yesterday and the days before that. The only difference from all those days was that he realized now that he played for the same team (to borrow a competitive team sports term, he thought ironically).

But after a week of walking around with the new-found knowledge, the full implication of that moment of self-awareness washed over him. Being gay might not mattered much to him but how was he going to break the news to the people close to him?

His parents were going to be devastated by the news. Kibum could imagined their faces now. His mother's face would fall as tears started pooling in her eyes, while his father's would shuttered, his eyes the only indication of his actual emotions. Disappointment would be etched clearly in their body language, when they realized that they can't be expecting any grandchildren conceived through the conventional means, that they would have to live with the knowledge that their gay son would be a blemish on their social lives because of people's hatred and disgust born out of ignorance and narrow-mindedness. That this minor detail would follow them, dogged their footsteps like demonic shadows till the end of their lives, and maybe even beyond tormented his mind to no end. And that was _if_ his parents still accepted and love him as he was.

Kibum didn't think he could face that.

But thinking of his parents led to the thought of his best friend.

Ever since that fateful first day of kindergarten, Kibum and Kyuhyun had been inseparable. They grew up in each other's home and pockets. It was near impossible to find one without the other. Even their parents had accepted both of them as a package deal and treated the other boy as if he was their own. Most people had found it odd that both boys had two sets of parents, but to Kibum and Kyuhyun, it was just another sign of how intertwined their lives were.

If thoughts of his parents' reaction scared Kibum, Kyuhyun's reaction would have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Heart beating with trepidation, Kibum managed to muster enough courage and blurted that he was gay two weeks later.

Kyuhyun had been silent after the confession. After what felt like minutes stretching into eternity, Kibum had made to leave, too afraid of the hateful words he had expected to fall out of his best friend's lips.

"Stop,"

Kibum froze at the lone word. Steeling himself, he turned around and took one last good look at the boy who had been his constant companion for the last ten years. This was it. The final goodbye. He knew Kyuhyun well enough to predict what his next words were going to be. Kyuhyun wouldn't say anything spiteful. Not for the sake of their friendship. But he would be dismissive and Kibum didn't think he could stand to hear those words fall from those lips, turning years of friendship into nothing.

Mind so preoccupied with those terrifying thoughts, Kibum didn't notice when Kyuhyun had crushed him in his arms.

"You idiot. I bet you thought I was going to dump you as a friend didn't you?" Kyuhyun fondly said.

"I don't care that you're gay. You're still you. You're my best friend and I love you no matter who you love,"

"Don't you _ever_ forget that you dimwit," Kyuhyun ended fiercely, voice wavering slightly.

Kibum just sobbed in relief as Kyuhyun tightened his hold on him.

"I love you," Kibum whispered thankfully as he clung onto Kyuhyun.

 

3.

Kibum was twenty-five and life was good.

He graduated with top marks from a top university. He had a good job, great friends and a great place to live in.

Chucking his keys onto the coffee table, he loosened his tie and tugged off his shoes as he walked into the living room, mentally preparing himself for a night of rest and relaxation.

Kyuhyun was curling on the couch with his laptop balancing precariously on his crossed legs as he typed furiously on his iPhone. Smiling to himself at the scene, Kibum lightly kissed Kyuhyun on the top of his head as he plopped down comfortably next to his boyfriend.

"Hello you. Who are you texting?"

"Donghae-hyung. Honestly. He never leaves me alone. As if he hasn't harassed me enough at work," Kyuhyun pouted. "Also, Ryeowook is coming over with dessert. Hae-hyung managed to coerce his cousin into baking."

"Does this mean that the both of them are coming over later then?"

" _Yes_ ," Kyuhyun said half-exasperatedly.

"As if you're going to complain about free food. Especially if it's desserts," Kibum chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Kyuhyun's shoulder and tucked the man into his side.

Body shifting so that his back was leaning into Kibum, Kyuhyun snuggled in closer while managing not to topple his laptop as he laughed at the incoming text message.

" _Life was much easier when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits_ ," Kibum read out loud.

"Ryeowook and I were discussing new phones at work today since he wanted to get a new one. Donghae-hyung thought we were discussing dessert ingredients. Which is _really_ why we're getting dessert later," Kyuhyun explained with a laugh.

Kibum just laughed helplessly. The friends Kyuhyun had made over the years. It would be a lie to say that his life hasn't been entertaining in the past three years.

It had taken a while but Kibum had realized that he was in love with his best friend by the time the both of them had started university. To say that Kibum's first year of university was an emotional roller-coaster ride was an understatement. Kibum's insides had been so twisted from uncertainty and consequences of his feelings for Kyuhyun (he still felt the occasional twinge of discomfort whenever he thought about those days) that their friendship took a dive for the worst for the first time in fourteen years. While Kyuhyun had drifted away feeling hurt, he eventually put his foot down and sought Kibum out, demanding an explanation for Kibum's avoidance. That was when Kibum caved and finally confessed his romantic feelings and expecting the worst for the second time. This was never how he expected his love confession for his best friend to be. 

But fate had another surprise installed for him. Kyuhyun had admitted that he might just be a little in love with Kibum too. The catch? Kyuhyun wasn't gay. In fact, Kyuhyun wasn't even sure if he being in love with Kibum was just a projection of their years of friendship or him looking for a convenient relationship. It took a lot of arguments and persistence on Kibum's part before Kyuhyun finally agreed to going out for a date. While their first date was a complete disaster because they knew each other too well for the date to be a conventional awkward first date, but it was that same progression from best friends to awkward boyfriends that made it worked for them.

Their friendship had remained the same but now it came with the romantic moments as well. Suddenly, it wasn't just the anniversary of the first day they met, but also their first date, their first kiss, the first time they slept together and well, the first day they moved in together as a couple and not as best friends.

Their parents had not only reacted positively to the news, but had exclaimed loudly about how long it took for the both of them to get their act together.

But all those firsts would always pale in comparison to every moment of Kyuhyun's _I love you_ s.

Remembering how it was Kibum's first _I love you_ and the Tamagotchi anniversary gift he had hidden in his briefcase (because Kyuhyun absolutely abhorred the sight of his work) that cemented their friendship twenty years ago, Kibum dropped a light kiss on his shoulder before whispering into his ear, "Remember the first day of kindergarten under the big tree?"

Kyuhyun merely smiled as he replied, "You had me at _I love you_."

**Author's Note:**

> Part of a [pic prompt](http://www.friendship-quotes.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/life-apple-blackberry.jpg) by amalious. 
> 
> Original post can be found [here](http://paradigm-twist.livejournal.com/18952.html).


End file.
